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From Rick Hummels chat yesterday:
Some people who have experienced this new baseball rule while in the minors last year think that it adds instant excitement to an extra inning and provides an immediate call for strategy, which will be minimized with pitchers not having to bat any more.
You might actually see a bunt — or at least a fake bunt.
I’m a traditionalist but I love this rule. It worked out well in MiLB last season. There are so many reasons why it makes sense…. especially on get-away days, and it won’t drain bullpens. Both teams have the same ways to win the game. Some say that all it will take is two SFs. Go ahead get two SFs…. if its that easy. One drawback… more IBBs to set up DPs.
The drawback I see is that a game can be decided without the winning team having a hit. Two sacrifices for the home team and the game is over. This is a strategy our minor league reporters noticed being employed. We will have to see how this works out in MLB. This is a good year to experiment, but I am not in favor of Manfred’s ongoing pushing to get games over more quickly. If they really want that, then just make ties legal and stop all games after nine.
Given how many times we saw the Cards fail to get a runner home from third with <2 outs last year, even the bunt and sac fly scenario may not be that common. Fangraphs had an article on it last year:
It looks like the scoring rate is around 50% with a guy on third and less than two out, but has been dropping lately.
Shildt (and probably every other manager) has been asked if the Cardinals will put more emphasis on these situations in drills. Another factor in 2020 is that pitchers are not hitting. Part of the prior failures were due to teams not wanting to remove the starting pitcher and that pitcher not being as proficient with the bat in moving runners over.
Both teams have the same opportunity to score. The efficient team wins and the inefficient team loses. I’m good with that, but I’ve always been a fan of small ball too.
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